There are both human and project planning and execution techniques aspects to project management. Which is harder? Depends. But there are plenty of issues with the human side. In fact, a book that I was recently asked to contribute too names 77 sins of project management. Don’t despair – this book provides solutions. I choose to write about Blaming, Rigidity and Satisficing. Why? I had some great project examples and suggestions for project improvement. My thoughts:

Rigidity is being stiff or unyielding; not pliant or flexible; hard.

In projects it is indifferently or defiantly clinging to policies, practices and behaviors not tailored to the unique project characteristics.
There are several organizational drivers that tend to fossilize project practices.

Large organization: The corporate staff may mandate practices that work across country and functional lines. These practices may sub-optimize your practices.

Financial pressure. When large organizations are not making money, all hands are on deck to get project work done and no resources are dedicated to optimizing the process to gain back time or money.

Low growth organizations: These organizations have limited ability to bring in new staff, new ideas and re-engineer for success.

Heavy reliance on outsource partners: Outsourcing may be legislatively mandated or a cost cutting reality. These organizations may lose the subject matter or domain experts that are the change catalysts or leaders.

What is the solution? Organizations must tailor project practices. Period. If there are not enough project resources, there are too many projects. Challenging times call for courage.

What can project managers do?

- Project managers must articulate when projects are going to fast to appropriately balance cost, time, quality, scope or when project process are too rigid to meet current market or mission needs.
- The organization can’t fund projects without understanding how the scope is delivered. Conflicts between policies and traditions around processes and life cycles vs. need for speed must be escalated to leadership as risks.
- Approach change in an incremental fashion, focusing on one major change idea at one time. Sometimes slow but steady is a stealthy and smart approach.

Reprinted [adapted] with permission from The 77 Deadly Sins of Project Management, © 2009 by Management Concepts, Inc. All rights reserved. www.managementconcepts.com